Key case



F. A. PONTIN Sept. 23, 1952 KEY CASE Filed March 9, 1950 F emando A. Pan/in IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES "PATENT 2,611,260 f 1 KEY oAsE :Femando A.. Pontin, :Xakima, *Wash, Application March 9, 1950,,SrerialK051485575 f This invention :relates to new and usefulrtim Q 'provements and I structural refinements in :key

cases, and the principal'tobj'ect'iof theinvention is to facilitate convenient "and :expeditious pro- "jection ofa required key from theicase, this being possible without the necessity of openingi'the case :01 inspecting theseveralkeys thereinzpri'orftothe identification and selection oftheiparticular key which: is :desiredzto be used.

This object is "achieved iby thetprovision :of a

:key case wherein "several keys are -;pivotally mounted for :swingable iprojecting and retracting "m'ovement, :an important feature .of the: invention therefrom unless the pro-jecting means are actuated. I

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, "convenience of operation, in its pleasingtappearance, and "in'. its

"adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objectsiand :features inview and such other objects andfeatures "as-may become apparent as the :specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a key case designated generally by the reference character ID, the same embodying in its construction a plurality of spaced juxtaposed plates, namely, two inner plates I2, two intermediate plates I4 and two outer plates I6, while a pair of panels I8 may be provided at the outer surfaces of the outer plates I5 for ornamental reasons, if desired.

The several plates and panels of the case are secured together by a plurality oftransversely 4 Claims. (01. 70-556) I extending fastening elements 2 ll 2-2 and '24, each of these being-of the usualp conventional type consisting i of internally s'crew threaded sleeve and a screw threaded stud in the sleeve, as isiil-lustrated in Figure 4. e

eral keys being swingably mounted-on thefastening element "so that they-may -be individually projected from or retracted into the key case.

'fWhen the keys-are retracted in their-respective compartments, they abut ".inturned udetents 130 provided :at redgerportions :of :the :adjacentplates,

a which idetents thus ia'fiord stops :forliniitingwex- :cessive inward movementtof the respective keys.

The means ifOI' :proj'ecting ithe "keys from itheir compartments assume the "form'of .':a* pluralit .:of 'arcuate key projectingmembers 32, I 3'4, '3 6, :vvhich are pivotally mounted ronrthezfastening "element The members332, 134, 3fi aresequipped with' finger 2 pieces 38, -40 'rand =42 respectively, which project outwardly from the key case as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and it will be apparent from the foregoing that by simply depressing any one of the finger pieces, a corresponding key may be projected from the case as indicated by the phantom lines 44 in Figure 3.

If desired, the several finger pieces may be differently colored, to facilitate convenient identification.

The several keys 28 are frictionally retained in their retracted position, this being achieved by the provision of means for urging the plates I2, I4 together, which means simply consist of a spacer 46 positioned on the fastening element 24 between the plates I2 while relatively weak compression springs 48 are provided on the element 24 between the plates I2 and the plates I4 and relatively strong compression springs 50 are provided on the element 24 between the plates I4 and the plates I6. The spacer 46 is thinner than the key in the center compartment and since the plates I6 are prevented from spreading outwardly by the fastening element 24, the springs 50 will urge the plates I4 in frictional engagement with the two outer keys and, by virtue of their greater resiliency as compared to that of the springs 48, the springs 50 will also urge the two plates I2 in frictional engagement with the center key, so

that the several keys will not swing readily to their projected position unless their respective projecting members are actuated.

If desired, the spacer 46 may be provided with an extension affording an eye 52 for attachment for a suitable pendant 54.

It is to be noted that while in the accompanying drawings the invention has been shown as being adapted to accommodate only three keys, a greater number of keys may be accommodated by simply increasing the number of the intermediate plates l4.

Moreover it will be observed that by tightening or loosening the screw 24, the pressure of the springs 48. 50 may be increased or decreased so as to vary the frictional engagement between the plates and the keys, thus safeguarding against any possibility of the keys swinging outwardly when not desired, particularly when keys of different thicknesses are used in the invention.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In a key case, the combination of two inner plates, two intermediate plates, and two outer plates disposed in spaced juxtaposed relation and' 'a'flo'r'ding key receiving compartments in invention, what is the respective spaces betwgeen the inner plates andbetween the inner and intermediate plates, combined fulcrum and fastening element extending transversely through said plates and adapted to" have keys mounted thereon for swinging movement in and out of the respective compartments, a'pivot element extending transversely through said plates, a key projecting member in each compartment swingably mounted on said pivot element, a second fastening element extending transversely through the plates, a spacer on said second element between said inner plates, relatively weak compression springs on said second element between the inner and the intermediate plates, and relatively strong compression springs on said second element between the intermediate and the outer plates, whereby the intermediate and the inner plates are urged toward said spacer for frictionally retaining keys in said compartments.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with key stops provided in said compartments.

3. A key case comprising a plurality of spaced, opposed elongated plates for the reception of keys therebetween, common means connecting one end portion of said plates and pivotally securing the keys therebetween, means loosely connecting the other end portions of the plates for swinging movement toward and away from each other on the first named means, and means for yieldingly urging said other end portions of said'plates toward each other for frictionally gripping the keys therebetween.

. 4. A-key case comprising a plurality of spaced opposed, elongated plates for the reception of keys therebetween, a pin connecting one end portion of the plates and pivotally securing the keys therebetween, a'longitudinally adjustable connecting pin extending loosely through the other end portions of the plates, and coil springs encircling the second named pin for yieldingly urging the plates inwardly for frictionally securing the plates therebetween against swinging movement on the first named pin.

FERNANDO A. PON TIN REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

